Why Your Commercial Air Conditioner Needs an Inspection

Is your commercial air conditioning system suddenly giving you grief? When you first installed it, you knew that it was in for long haul. You also knew that in a region where summertime temperatures routinely rise to triple digits, your unit was bound to have a pretty big job to do. Early on, it never failed to rise to the occasion, but now you’re hearing strange noises, smelling strange smells and receiving excessive energy bills for performance that’s suddenly begun to fall far below the mark.

Why Air Conditioner Inspections Matter

The sad truth is that like anything else, air conditioning systems require an occasional inspection. For one thing, they have a habit of accumulating dirt and dust in the most inconvenient places. For every year that these things continue to collect on the filters and condensing coils, your unit can suffer a 5 percent loss of AC operating effectiveness. This means that after only five years of neglect, your system may have lost a full 25 percent of its cooling capability.

This, however, is only part of the problem. Small and easily fixable problems can quickly escalate into major malfunctions for which the repairs will be both costly and time-consuming. On the first day that outside temperatures soar to 110 degrees, you could find yourself forced to shut down your business entirely. This is the last thing your company wants to face. If you’ve been skipping inspections, though, don’t be surprised if it happens to you.

What Can Go Wrong with Uninspected Air Conditioning Units

Little things mean a lot. For all businesses in and around Las Vegas, a working air conditioning system must do more than simply lower energy consumption, reduce operating costs and curtail excessive carbon emissions. In an overheated desert environment, it could literally be the difference between life and death. As your system ages, it can suffer from problems with:

Refrigerant level and pressure. While older, inadequate or leaking refrigerant is often easy to miss, it could be the culprit behind all your cooling problems. During the hottest summer months, a loss of just 10 percent of this vital fluid can raise your monthly energy bills by as much as 20 percent. It also puts your entire unit under stress.

Heat rejection. Your air conditioning system does more than simply cool the inside air. It must also pull the hot air out, and any damage or blockage to the heat rejection part of your unit will cause it to overheat. As a result, the motor will cycle on and off with what could seem to be lightning speed while your interior temperatures lag well behind your thermostat settings.

Indoor heat exchange. If anything restricts its ability to transfer heat to the refrigeration system, your commercial air conditioner will not be able to lower the temperature of your interior air. An impediment or obstruction will force it to work that much harder while failing to satisfy your cooling requirements.

Air delivery. Your air conditioning system’s fans play a vital role in determining how well your unit operates. In addition to shooting holes in its efficiency quotient, any failure of these vital components will force your unit to operate for longer periods of time while wreaking havoc with your energy costs.

Filters and screens. All air delivery systems require unobstructed access to outside air. Any damage or debris that impedes its flow through screens, grills or filters will force your unit to go the extra mile in a brave but often fruitless attempt to deal with the resistance.

System controls. Current headaches with any air conditioning system often trace back to the settings, location or capacity of its controls. While the situation is often simple and inexpensive to correct at the start, ignoring it could lead to costly damage in the end.

Windy City’s 21-Point Air Conditioning Inspection

The licensed, bonded and insured professionals at Windy City Air understand how essential an efficient, effective and operational commercial air conditioning system can be for businesses in and around the Las Vegas area. Our thorough 21-point inspection routine lets you rest assured that when the temperature goes up, your system won’t go down.

When Las Vegas’ blazing heat threatens to turn your commercial space into an inferno, you don’t want your air conditioner giving up the ghost. To keep your unit up to the challenge, call Windy City Air and schedule that vital inspection today.

At Windy City Air, it is our pleasure to offer quality Las Vegas AC repair and maintenance. When our skilled technicians handle a repair, they use a checklist that ensures all AC related problems are covered. During our inspection, we will explain the results of our findings and offer suggestions for your AC unit. But what exactly do we look for when inspecting an air conditioner?

Ask if there are any special concerns about your cooling system

Remove the electrical disconnect cover & tighten the connections

Visually inspect the condenser for any type of damage

Visually inspect the copper tubing for leakage or damage

Check duct work for loose or leaking connections

Chemically clean the condenser coil & rinse if water is available

Check the circuit board & wiring for scorching or discoloration

Tighten all electrical connections

Check for proper voltage to the condenser

Check the thermostat for proper mounting, location and setting

Check, clean and replace filters if part of the contract

If motor is belt driven, replace if part of the contract

Check the discharge pressure of the system freon levels

Check the suction pressure of the system freon levels

Check the condenser fan blade for balance & clean

Check the amp draw of the condenser fan motor

Check the amp draw of the compressor

Check the amp draw of the blower motor

Check the temperature drop across the evaporator. ΔT is 17 – 21 deg.F

Check the temperature difference between rooms max. ΔT is 5 deg.F

Check super heat & sub-cooling

At Windy City Air, we get the job done right the first time. We truly care about our customers and make sure that all our bases are covered before leaving your home. Call us today at (702) 932-7284 for more information or to set up an inspection.